The Man in Possession — page 94: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE MAN IN POSSESSION. 85 hinting more plainly than politely that she should dismiss her maid, had unburdened his mind as follows: ‘‘Look here, Mater! I’m not going to be put off with any of your confounded old frumps and dow- agers to-night. Hang etiquette !—I want to enjoy myself like other fellahs.—Why the deuce shouldn't I?” ‘‘My dear boy!” exclaimed Lady Jocelyn. ‘‘Oh, hang it all, I know what youre going to say,” interrupted the ‘‘dear boy.” ‘‘ But I mean to have my own way; and so I tell you I’m going to take that new gal in to dinner to-night. She’s a doosid fine gal, and seems to: have no nonsense about her. So I just dropped in to tell you, don’t yer know ; and if you go bringing up any one else, hanged if I don’t leave the room and go back to town. So there's the straight tip; you may take it or not.” ‘‘My dearest Wilfred, of course you may take Miss O’Brien in, if you specially desire it,” said his mother soothingly. ‘‘It’s not exactly etiquette, but I'll strain a point for this once, and you shall have your way. Iam very pleased you like her, ’ she added. ‘*But really you mustn't flatter her with too much attention, for I—I rather fancy that she is engaged— or partly engaged, to some one in Ireland.” Lady Jocelyn told the ‘‘ white lie” quite easily and unconcernedly, as if assured of its truth. But she knew well that nothing would so inflame her son's erratic fancy as the fear of being unable to win this girl if he so desired. And Lady Jocelyn was COMicloe (Sri C(O)